


it's the look in your eyes

by fromthefarshore



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Cheesy, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 14:49:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14107716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fromthefarshore/pseuds/fromthefarshore
Summary: Affection is a lot like glitter.





	it's the look in your eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MeCrossYou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeCrossYou/gifts).



The glitter, Magnus thinks, has never disappointed him. A smile curls mischievously at his lips when he winks at the young man standing further away, a nearly empty glass in his hands, a full glass of interest, however, in his eyes. Magnus has seen enough in his long years to pick on someone feeling attraction towards him - and who could blame them, indeed; he’s also lived through enough to not let the opportunity go.

Magnus calls the barman, asking for two cocktails. They are of rich colours, a piece of art each, but when Magnus walks up to the mysterious man holding them in his hands, he knows it’s not the cocktails that the man’s eyes will be on. 

“I don’t think we’ve been formally introduced,“ Magnus says, offering one glass to the stranger together with his name, “I’m Magnus.” 

Blue, strikingly so, eyes meet his again, and Magnus knows that the glitter around his already bright, yellow eyes, is working wonders. It’s nearly as a glue of a kind; the man can’t look away. 

“Alec.” 

Magnus smiles and he lets his fingers touch Alec’s hand, lingering there just a moment longer than necessary when the other finally accepts the drink. 

“Alexander, right? ” Magnus lets the word roll off his tongue. It’s a nice name, it makes Magnus think of old times, of grand, ambitious things, of intimate, often untold affection. Tonight’s event seems boring and Magnus couldn’t care less about everyone around trying to play friends, trying to get what they need in this crowd of oh so important people, and truthfully, since the beginning of the evening, it’s only now that Magnus thinks he actually wants to stay. He doesn't stop himself; he knows exactly what he can do, and so he places his hand on Alec’s arm, gesturing to the big hall behind them with his other hand holding a bright blue drink, “Should we join the party?” 

Alec lets out a little snort, but Magnus can see him trying to withhold a smile when he says, “I- yeah, right. Alright.”

-

Despite the smiles, and the conversation carrying on and on, Alec looks like he is constantly thinking about something. There is some sort of inner conflict with himself which is never going away, a little glance to the side, a tiny tilt of the head as if he’s always cautious of someone being around.

Magnus feels a tad bit sad, sympathetic smile coming up his face and he holds up his drink, trying to wash the feeling away with a sip of the blue liquid. Alec looks like he’s trying to hide away the obvious interest so evident in the silvering on his eyes as if just the thoughts he’s having are already somehow disappointing everyone he cares about. It nearly seems as if he’s forcefully trying to stay unhappy, just to not let everybody down. While deep down, Magnus guesses, he simply wants to be honest and open about his feelings and needs.

It’s not a sight Magnus enjoys watching and yet, he can’t step away.

“Would you fancy another drink?”

“I’ll be leaving soon,” Alec says, the words escaping his mouth a bit too fast, a bit too desperate. He’s looking at Magnus though, at the glitter dancing around his eyes like magic, and he doesn’t seem like he wants to  _ leave _ . Maybe escape this place, escape the people and expectations piled atop his head, but not simply leave. 

Magnus hums, and he steps closer to Alec. He places his hand on the small of Alec’s back, a tender touch, a slightly intimate gesture that Alec doesn’t step away from. 

“You don’t need to act up,” leaning in, Magnus whispers. He sees the little hair standing up on Alec’s skin, but the pleasant warmth under his fingertips disappears when Alec pulls away. 

“I’m not,” he says, with a lick of his lips, with a glance to where his family is seated further away. “I really need to go, Magnus,” Alec sighs with an excusing nod of his head, “Goodbye”.

Magnus knows, he’s  _ noticed  _ that the only place Alec wants to go is simply out of here, but deep inside, Magnus has hoped he’d be allowed to accompany him. 

He raises his eyebrows, following Alec’s back with his eyes. A smile makes its’ way to Magnus’ face. There’s something mesmerizing about Alec and Magnus doesn’t want to let go of that. He takes a deep breath and then buttons up his suit jacket. 

“I love a challenge,” he says to himself, like a promise of a kind. 

Then, he leaves as well. There’s nobody holding him there anymore.

-

Affection, Magnus thinks, is a lot like glitter. Once you get your hands on it, it uncontrollably spreads everywhere around. 

It’s a bit strange how he can’t stop thinking about Alec, how the image of him is always somewhere behind Magnus’ closed eyelids, somewhere in-between thousands of memories and thoughts. It was Alec’s interest in him that got Magnus’ attention, it was the look in his eyes that made Magnus grin with satisfaction, and yet it seems like in this whole setup he’s the one who got inflamed faster. Magnus looks down into his morning cocktail, a light shade of blue twirling up from the bottom of the glass, glistening. It’s always when he needs to that there isn’t any event planned, or at least one where Alec would appear, and as much as Magnus could find Alec himself, he’s not sure the other would be impressed with that.

And so, he waits.

-

Alec only needs to enter the room for Magnus to lose his breath. The seconds before Alec finds him in the crowd and locks their eyes together, feel like forever, but it’s worth the wait. There’s still a certain hesitance written across Alec’s face, but his eyes light up, bright like glitter, and Magnus knows the pleased smile that’s about to appear on Alec’s face far too well; he’s got the same one on as well.

It’s Alec who comes up to Magnus, and it makes Magnus wonder if Alec, too, has stayed awake on the long nights, thinking what exactly was suddenly unlocked inside of him, and how exactly someone could leave such a permanent mark in such a short period of time. He wonders if he’ll get to know that.

Alec clears his throat, a hand coming up to the back of his neck in nervousness.

“Magnus,” he says, he breathes the word out, and Magnus-

Magnus thinks he’s not about to watch Alec tramp his own happiness in front of everyone else again.

“Alexander,” he says, looking him right into the eyes. And Alec can’t look away, he couldn’t back then, and he can’t now, because there’s so much feeling hiding in Magnus’ eyes and because, Magnus smiles, placing his hand on Alec’s arm, there’s never disappointing glitter around his eyes, “Shall we get out of here?”

There’s a furrow to Alec’s eyebrows, a little twitch when he wants to look around and make sure no one’s paying too much attention, but his eyes stay on Magnus, and when it feels like Alec’s about to pull away, he pulls Magnus after himself.

Alec smiles, and he lets out a little snort.

“Alright.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday, MeCrossYou! I have offered some cheese for your old soul (hoping it's not too ooc, actually)


End file.
